Match Summary
Here’s the lineup of both teams.
Chelsea started the game well by quickly exploiting the behind with Neto’s pace who played as a striker rather than a winger. Against Vila’s high line, it was extremely effective and they scored the first goal in less than 10 minutes after Neto exploited the space in behind. In addition to fast breaks, Chelsea were also able to establish the possession at the back with the overload. In contrast, Aston Villa had suffered as they couldn’t apply enough pressure on the ball and play though against the compact block especially in the first 15 minutes. However, Aston Villa regained the momentum and scored twice to win the game, and both goals came from set pieces, again. As the game progressed, they began to play through the opposition high pressure, keep the ball in the opposition half and got the rewards.
0-15mins
Quick threat from Chelsea
In terms of playing out from the back, both teams found spare players in the opposition shape and progressed the ball. In other words, neither couldn’t press well though. Especially, in the first opportunity to build up, Chelsea found Caicedo behind the opposition first line.
This structure had been seen frequently throughout the game. Villa’s defensive midfielder McGinn was often overloaded by Caicedo and Fernández, so he couldn’t easily jump to Caicedo to apply pressure on him. After Caicedo received the ball in between the opposition front and midfield lines, he often played over or switch the play to quickly attack Villa’s last line. And in 8th minutes, just after Chalobah was replaced by Adarabioyo due to the injury, he found Neto who ran in behind and dribbled past, which led the goal scored by Fernández just in front of the goal.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, came close to play through the opposition pressure. Actually, they found spare players in between the lines, but the passes to break the opposition back line weren’t accurate enough.
In 4th minutes, Tielemans found Asensio in between the lines and he tried to switch the ball to Maatsen running forwards, but the pass was recovered by Gusto easily. Even though Villa couldn’t progress, they found the way to move the ball to a spare player in between the lines already in the first few minutes.
Another thing related to the illustration is that Chelsea didn’t want Mings to have the ball, so Neto looked after him and the left winger Nkunku applied pressure on Konsa from the outside. James and Fernández were tight to Villa’s defensive midfielders and Colwill often committed to a spare player in between the lines as Cucurella kept an eye on Cash.
15-30mins
Villa started to play through
After the first 15 minutes, Aston Villa came to create chanced after beating the opposition pressing.
Both defensive midfielders positioned themselves in the box and opened space where the right winger Rogers dropped to exploit. Rogers flicked the ball from Martínez and Asensio received it behind Caicedo, which created the 3v2 overload up front. At the end, Watkins tried to take a shot from a tight angle as his first touch was bit heavier.
Similarly, in 26th minutes, Martínez played a lofted ball to Rogers but he couldn’t reach it and Watkins held it up ahead of Rogers. And Rogers chipped the ball laid off by Watkins and Aseisio received the ball in behind the opposition back line.
Chelsea were also able to establish the possession and break the midfield line by finding Fernández or Palmer in the pockets. In 27th minutes, Colwill found Fernández in the pocket to progress into the opposition half.
It was discussed that McGinn was underloaded and this is the same principle. This time, he came close to Caicedo, leaving Fernández free in between the lines.
30-45mins
Lacks the way to penetrate
This period was similar to the previous period of 15 minutes. Both teams could progress but lacked the quality around the box. Aston Villa could beat the opposition pressing and often carried the ball to the opposition half. Actually, in 33rd minutes, they penetrate into the box from left side with the combination play of Maatsen and Ramsey. But none of them turned into goal-scoring opportunities. Rather than from the possession, their chanced came from beating the opposition pressing or playing counterattacks.
As well as the home side, Chelsea were also able to find the spare players in between the lines, but they couldn’t penetrate the box. This might be because of the absence of the natural striker. Neto preferred to drift wide, so there were often no players in the middle in between the lines.
45-60mins
Villa equalise while struggling
After the break, Emery subbed off Ramsey and brought Rashford onto the pitch in order to enhance the attack from the left side, but Chelsea defended with a compact block and threaten Villa’s goal from counterattacks.
In 53rd minutes, both Neto and Palmer applied pressure on Mings and forced him the error, and Palmer picked the ball up and played in behind to find Neto who exploited the space there. It was a great chance to score, but the shot was bit wider.
However, it was Aston Villa who found the back of the net. It was a second phase of the player from a free kick. Cash delivered he cross to the far post area and Rashford played it back to Asensio in front of the goal.
60-75mins
Villa with the possession, Chelsea playing counterattacks
Almost same picture from the previous period.
Aston Villa had the possession while Chelsea tried to play counterattacks. Overall game state was similar to what it was in 30-45 minutes.
75-90mins
Another set piece
Then, in the 90th minutes, Villa turned the game around by Asensio from a short corner and it was assisted by Rashford again.
